


hope will take its toll

by Spring_Emerald



Series: it's only words [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, being rivals and boyfriends at the same time is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 11:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12210594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spring_Emerald/pseuds/Spring_Emerald
Summary: Kuroo doesn’t want to think about it. He doesn’t think that Daichi’s affection for him, or his affection for Daichi, for that matter, is fickle, that something like winning or losing a match could change. He has more faith in their relationship than that. He has more faith in himself and Daichi than that. But, that doesn’t mean that he isn’t part terrified for what’s going to happen tomorrow.





	hope will take its toll

**Author's Note:**

> Requested anonymously over at tumblr for the ship+word writing meme.  
> KuroDai + 'silent'
> 
> This contains possible spoilers, especially for non manga readers, so be warned. 
> 
> Please enjoy! :D

“Hey,” Kuroo greets Daichi softly when he arrived at their meeting place. He’s sitting on a bench, somewhere mid-way both their temporary shelters. It’s night time, but not dark, as the streetlights and the lights of the surrounding buildings were bright, with some from taller buildings twinkling like artificial stars.

Daichi smiles and sits beside him before he returns the greeting with an equally soft “Hey” of his own. Kuroo gently takes Daichi’s hand and laced their fingers together, while Daichi rests his head comfortably on Kuroo’s shoulders. They stay like that for a while, quietly taking comfort in the fact that they’re still together, that both their teams get to stay at Nationals for one day more.

The respective matches they had earlier that day were very tedious, more so for Karasuno. But against all odds, they both won.

“Congratulations. I’m so proud of you.” Daichi says, breaking the silence that enveloped them first.

He had congratulated Kuroo and his team earlier that day, when they happened to meet outside the stadium to return to their respective hotel and dormitory, but there had been a hint of arrogance in those words. And the second part was definitely not included then. It warmed Kuroo’s heart and a burst of affection run through his chest at Daichi’s words.

He squeeze Daichi’s hands. “Congratulations as well. And, not to make this a competition or anything but, I’m more proud of you.” He casts a sideways glance at Daichi and finds him scrunching his eyebrows, his usual expression when complimented.

“Hey, I mean it,” he says, tugging the hand he’s holding. “You were incredible on the court earlier. I’ve seen the way you receive, but it still amazes me every time. And when you bend over? God, your ass is sensational!” He finishes on a reverent tone.

“Stop it, you,” Daichi elbows him, making Kuroo squirm.

“It’s true! I was distracted by it the whole time.”

“Shush!”

Kuroo chuckles then calms down. “But seriously, that was a great game. And don’t try to tell me that you didn’t do anything!” He quickly adds, when he felt Daichi move to speak. “The number of times you’ve kept the ball up saved your team.”

Daichi huffs. “Okay, fine. But I can’t take all the credit. Tanaka and Asahi provided some real power and Nishinoya helped a lot and even evolved during the match. Yamaguchi kept us out of a real pinch during his serve. And Tsukishima’s blocks got scarier despite having been trapped previously. And don’t-”

Kuroo lets go of Daichi’s hand and shrugs his head off his shoulder, effectively making him stop his speech. He turns to face Daichi and squeezes his face between his hands. He fixes his serious gaze on Daichi’s eyes and says “Don’t try to downplay your contribution to the team, Sawamura. You kept them inspired despite the odds. That means a lot.”

Daichi, for his part, couldn’t reply properly, what with his face being squished together, so he just nods his head slowly. Kuroo, unable to hold himself back because Daichi looked really cute bends down and quickly steals a kiss from his pouted lips.

Daichi sputters, face steadily turning bright red from the sneaky action. He scrabbles at Kuroo’s arms and pulls it down, freeing his face from being sandwiched. “Kuroo!”

“You are so cute.”

“Argh!” Daichi covers Kuroo’s mouth with one hand, just to make him stop saying embarrassing things. Kuroo laughs behind his hand, shoulders shaking hard and eyes bright with mirth. Daichi pushes his hand harder, making Kuroo fall back a little.

Kuroo pry at the hand and laces their fingers once again when Daichi gives. “Thank you for holding on,” he says quietly this time. “Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for fighting your way through that match even though it was really difficult. I mean, I know you didn’t do it for me, but I’m thankful still.”

“We wanted the Battle of the Trash Heap to happen just as much as you do guys. We wouldn’t give it up just like that, not this close.” It’s Daichi’s turn to squeeze Kuroo’s hand. “And, well… I didn’t do it for you, that’s true. But you played a part in keeping me motivated to win. It would be rude to leave you hanging and… I didn’t want to let you down.”

“Aww, Sawamura. You  _do_  love me,” Kuroo teases and pinches Daichi’s cheek with his free hand for good measure, just to lighten up their conversation.

Daichi gives him a small, sweet smile. “I guess I do, huh?”

“Sawamura…”

“I’m really scared for tomorrow,” Daichi blurts out, cutting off whatever Kuroo’s going to say. The admission sobers Kuroo up, but he understands where Daichi is coming from; what he’s talking about.

They’re both excited for the Battle of the Trash Heap, that’s undeniable. Everything they have started out from that kind of rivalry. Their teammates may be friends, and they may be boyfriends, but that wouldn’t mean anything much when they eventually face-off tomorrow. They would be rival captains of rival teams, wanting to win and prove their worth to the other and the National audience all in the name of volleyball.

No amount of ‘may the best man and team win’ can change the fact that in one way or another, there’s a possibility that something in their relationship will change.

Kuroo doesn’t want to think about it. He doesn’t think that Daichi’s affection for him, or his affection for Daichi, for that matter, is fickle, that something like winning or losing a match could change. He has more faith in their relationship than that. He has more faith in himself and Daichi than that. But, that doesn’t mean that he isn’t part terrified for what’s going to happen tomorrow.

He wanted to avoid having this conversation as much as he could. But, as the Battle of the Trash Heap, it’s inevitable.

“I know,” he sighs. “I cannot promise that we’ll be completely fine tomorrow, after…” he says, noticing Daichi wince at the statement, and he rubs his thumb across Daichi’s cheek first before continuing.

“I’m not going to be delusional and think that we’ll get back to the way we are, immediately. I know we will both need time because it will hurt. Even if it’s just a little, it will hurt. But that doesn’t mean that we’ll like each other less, or it would wane our affections for each other, right? We’re tougher than that. I mean, we have a long distance relationship, and we’re actually rivals to boot. We’re basically star-crossed lovers-” Kuroo pauses as Daichi laughed, “But here we are. That means something right?”

Daichi eagerly nods his head, bringing the back of Kuroo’s hand close to his lips and gives it a kiss before nuzzling it. “It does.”

Kuroo slides his free hand behind Daichi’s head and pulls him closer, dropping a kiss on his forehead.

“Alright, enough of this conversation,” Kuroo says after the moment of silence. “I called you here because I want to spend time with you as my boyfriend and not as a captain. This isn’t one of our captain’s meetings.”

He smiles when he effectively made Daichi laugh again. “Oh really? Then again, there’s considerably less kissing now, than then.”

Kuroo places a hand on his chest and sends Daichi a scandalized expression, before it turned into a leer. “I knew you enjoyed our meetings back then.”

“I didn’t say that I didn’t. Anyway, enough about captain’s meeting and volleyball. Tonight, we’re boyfriends.”  _I don’t want tonight to end_  goes unsaid, but Kuroo hears the silent plea all the same.

**Author's Note:**

> It kind of ended abruptly but oh well... 
> 
> The title is taken from the beautiful lyrics of this equally beautiful


End file.
